‘the warp and weft of finnish textiles’ by ima design officea 30-meter long fabric panel connects a marimekko fabric

 

 

the exhibition, titled ‘the warp and weft of finnish textiles’ by japanese design office ima contrasts two sides of finnish design and culture: the bright and colorful (warp) with the dark and brooding (weft). it takes place in the gardens and treasure hall of the historic dazaifu-tetnmangu shrine in kyushu, japan. located outdoors, visitors to the installation are greeted by fabric-wrapped planters in the shrine’s iris pond.

 

from there, a 30-meter long fabric panel connects a marimekko textile by japanese designer fujio ishimoto. inside the treasure hall, cow print is used as a backdrop to the statue honoring the deified animal. as visitors continue to the neighboring library – prints form lokki and joonas represent some of the exhibition’s more staid patterns. built to house the meiji emperor for his planned visit in 1901, the chandeliers original to the space demonstrate how dazaifu-tenmangu has sought to balance modernity with its 1,000-year history.
the show displays the flexibility of fabric as a medium in general, using it to create not only flat surfaces, both horizontal and vertical, but also to create solid forms of various shapes.

 

 

 the warp and weft of finnish textiles by ima design office - 2outdoors, visitors to the exhibit are first greeted by fabric-wrapped planters in the shrine’s iris pond.

 

 

the warp and weft of finnish textiles by ima design office - 3inside the treasure hall, ima used marimekko’s kevatjuhla cow print as a backdrop to the statue honoring this deified animal.

 

 

the warp and weft of finnish textiles by ima design office - 4visitors continue to the neighboring library where prints lokki and joonas represent some of the exhibition’s more staid patterns.

 

 

the warp and weft of finnish textiles by ima design office - 5a statue of the unicorn-like kirin.

 

 

the warp and weft of finnish textiles by ima design office - 6marimekko fabric to recreate the lost statue.

 

 

the warp and weft of finnish textiles by ima design office - 7‘the lost statue had the pattern on its side looked remarkably like the famous unikko pattern.’

 

 

the warp and weft of finnish textiles by ima design office - 8the street for the shrine.

 

 

the warp and weft of finnish textiles by ima design office - 9treasure hall

 

 

the warp and weft of finnish textiles by ima design office - 10treasure hall

 

project information:

 

 

organizer: dazaifu tenmangu shrine
support: kyushu national museum, museum centre vapriikki, look inc., the embassy of finland, the finnish institute in japan, dazaifu tourist association
sponsor: marimekko
coordinator: biotope corp.
design: ima
art direction: kei maeda (m&c saatchi)

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.